Broken promises

[alisont]

Due to COVID 19, like most people, I could not take my flight in March.  When I canceled, I received an email from Southwest which read: "Your refund is on its way (woohoo!)"  A month later, no refund, so I called the airline (after receiving no response via email).  I was told I would only be receiving a credit due to the kind of flight I purchased.  I described the email I received and the highest level person I could talk to told me: "We know there was an error with the emails."  Okay - so why was I not contacted?  When Ms. Johnson said she was looking over the email I received, she told me there was a section where it explained the "refund" was a credit.  This is NOT on my email.  I offered to send her a copy of the email I received, though she did not seem to want it. I need Southwest to HONOR their promise made to me via email.  I don't care the reason.  This is their error and they need to stand behind communications sent to customers.  

[dfwskier]

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@alisont wrote:

Due to COVID 19, like most people, I could not take my flight in March.  When I canceled, I received an email from Southwest which read: "Your refund is on its way (woohoo!)"  A month later, no refund, so I called the airline (after receiving no response via email).  I was told I would only be receiving a credit due to the kind of flight I purchased.  I described the email I received and the highest level person I could talk to told me: "We know there was an error with the emails."  Okay - so why was I not contacted?  When Ms. Johnson said she was looking over the email I received, she told me there was a section where it explained the "refund" was a credit.  This is NOT on my email.  I offered to send her a copy of the email I received, though she did not seem to want it. I need Southwest to HONOR their promise made to me via email.  I don't care the reason.  This is their error and they need to stand behind communications sent to customers.  

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This is the first I've heard about e-mails promising refunds after a customer cancelled a non refundable ticket.

If you have not been talking with  customer relations, that's where to go next. 

You can  reach customer relations via Twitter (@Southwestair), or phone at 1-855-234-4654 (Monday thru Friday normal business hours).

If you get no satisfaction, I'd suggest a letter to the CEO of the airline. Be sure to enclose a copy of the e-mail you got from the airline

Gary Kelly

CEO

Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647 
Dallas, Texas 75235

If the e-mail says  what you say it does, and if the airline  never sent a follow up "oops we got it wrong" message, then IMO, you are due a refund..

[alisont]

Thank you for your advice

[Matt4202]

As far as I know the US Department I’d Transportation has given an order to all Airlines that they must provide refunds for travel cancelled in these months.

Just go online file a DOT complaint I’ve been told it’s a pretty quick process (less than 10 minutes) to file and wait to get a response.

[chgoflyer · Accepted solution]

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@Matt4202 wrote:

As far as I know the US Department I’d Transportation has given an order to all Airlines that they must provide refunds for travel cancelled in these months.

Just go online file a DOT complaint I’ve been told it’s a pretty quick process (less than 10 minutes) to file and wait to get a response.

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That DOT guidance applies only when the air carrier cancels the flight -- not if a customer does. It's a fine distinction, but it's vital. If the customer cancels, they are not entitled to a refund, according to the US DOT, or the Southwest Contract of Carriage.